


Renascence

by Callanthe



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Angels & Demons, Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-21
Updated: 2017-06-21
Packaged: 2018-11-16 21:14:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,778
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11261133
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Callanthe/pseuds/Callanthe
Summary: There was once a stone statue of a legendary angel, sleeping in a lost capital. Birds were its only companions in the silence, as no one ever entered that forbidden land.(Featuring Archangel Bokuto and fallen angel Akaashi)





	Renascence

Before his Fall, Akaashi had only seen the fourth archangel twice.

 

His first memory was of raucous laughter, loud enough to fill the infinite rafters of the feasting hall. Akaashi had only been a cautious and timid fledgling then, deprived enough to beeline straight for the heavenly aromas. He was therefore not to blame for his delay arriving at the same realization as his seniors. Around him, wingbeats drummed in a harmonious symphony as angels scattered to escape the incoming tempest which just happened to be whirling towards his table.

Left out to dry by his fellow fledglings, Akaashi could only watch agape in horror, buffeted in every direction by the spiky storm of silver vacuuming up all traces of life energy from any dish. It was only long after the cacophonous hooting guffaws had long faded that he learned it was the Lord of Storms himself who possessed this appetite so carnivorous as to be a living entity of its own.

 

At least the second time he could say the fourth archangel's appearance was slightly more befitting of the awed whispers. A simple reconnaissance mission had somehow morphed into a full-blown Third-scale disaster, thanks to his superior's misinformation. Instead of exterminating a void critter, his companion had already been swallowed by the Third Entropic Beast. Akaashi's left wing had (barely) survived the Beast's four-dimensional ambush, but his bow had shattered and already any and all control over his flight path had been lost. Flight calculations failed without adequate solar energy hitting his remaining wing-panels, and the galaxies swirled around him at dizzying speeds. Even worse, the colors above and around him began to diminish entirely, undoubtedly snuffed out by the Beast returning for a second helping of angelic lightmetal. When the nearest sun blinked out, Akaashi readied himself to face the void head-on.

Instead, a shooting star reignited the dimmed celestial bodies. The light from its form could hardly catch up to its velocity as it arced to outrace the approaching Beast. Akaashi's optic receptors closed to protect himself from the dawning brightness so luminous that even the Beast itself shrunk back. But even blind, he could appreciate the careful gentleness in the embrace that stopped his spiral. When his savior turned away from him to bolt towards their foe, Akaashi realized he still had his arm outstretched. The strong steel of the archangel's chassis briefly warmed his hand. His eyes flickered open involuntarily. Straining against the crackling flashes of the sacred sword, he could glimpse the broad and strong expanse of the archangel's back, the smooth glittering curve of the wings, the solar radiance of the blazing eyes. Before his systems fell into sleep, he burned Bokuto's full glory into his memory.

 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

 

Even in the midst of plotting his own vengeful Rebellion, Akaashi allowed himself to place a light at the memorial after the fourth archangel was lost amidst the worlds of the forbidden sector.

 

 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

 

Strengthened by righteous rage, the angel oracle's clear and high voice followed him as he fled with stripped wings and the stolen knowledge. Her curse echoed hauntingly over the celestial channels even as his connection dimmed and he leapt into the abyss.

 

 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

 

-Eons later-

 

Akaashi wasn't exactly sure why he had decided to lead the mission to the Lost Capital. It was true he was hardly the type to believe the irrational legends that no living creatures walked its ruined streets. In fact, his pragmatism practically demanded he be the first to secure any treasures before other demon lords could access the same secrets (especially those damned cats). But he could recognize that the previous thralls sent to investigate the mysterious city had vanished into thin air, and his position as the only Fallen out of this netherworld's lords afforded him plenty of disposable lieutenants.

In the end, perhaps the cause was the same insatiable, quiet, competitive greed that had pushed him towards his original Fall. To the best extent of his current knowledge, the Lost Capital outdated his own arrival on this eternally overcast planet. There were certainly worse fates than letting his curiosity run free once in a while.

 

 

He was no stranger to Old magic, so unlike the rest of his squad, he did not gasp at the faded gray gates appearing out of the fog. Komi finally broke the heavy blanket of silence when he playfully mangled the angelic script on the arch. Akaashi did not feel the need to correct him.

He knew his tastes had undoubtedly turned towards the warped over his existence, since he found more twisted satisfaction at seeing the once sacred threshold shattered and dilapidated. Still, he could not help but fold away his own wings when he strode below the gate, and he could sense Konoha and Komi's twin curiosities now piqued as they followed.

Akaashi did his best to ignore their whispers, but as it turned out, the Lost Capital's actual atmosphere did an even better job of stifling their dialogue entirely. He hated to admit it, but perhaps the rumors that no one had ever entered this place had not been so unfounded after all. Each step taken carried the weight of a resented intrusion. He could not call the silence tranquil or peaceful.

 

Huge boulders lay undisturbed from where they had originally fallen. Walkways of marble twisted inhumanly upwards before collapsing into nothingness. A pitiful tendril of a vine stretched across a wall, but it had long withered from the lack of sunlight before it could ever reach a roof. What remained of the entirely stone architecture did appear vaguely familiar with its missing ceilings and abuse of arches. The city's eyeless gaze seemed to be asking him something, but he could not hear its voice. Perhaps it was calling him a trespasser--that was what he deserved.

They did not possess a map, but there was only one path to follow. The scenery grew progressively more crumbled and colorless with each step forward. A lone ruined pillar leaned at an impossibly precarious angle, but did not topple even when Komi pressed it tentatively with his shield. Here, the stone columns bore the wounds of whirlwind gashes. There, the rock could only be described as melted, dripping into the earth for all eternity.

The thought unwillingly entered Akaashi's mind that whatever city center awaited would be naught but dust at this rate. Everything seemed poised with bated breath, waiting for something that had not yet arrived. The pair's footsteps behind him seemed to echo even louder in the silence.

 

A bird called softly from up ahead.

Konoha opened his mouth to speak, but Akaashi stopped him with a gauntleted talon. He hadn't noticed that his talons had emerged--he blamed the oppressive atmosphere. Resuming after his brief pause, he motioned for the other two to move forward at a slower pace. Every one of his magical senses tingled with anticipation, attempting to catch a faint signal of what might lie in wait. But despite being on maximum alert, this time he could not hide his own surprise when a tower materialized as if constructed from the mist itself. To his side, Konoha visibly started and Komi yelped before slamming his hand over his own mouth.

 

After Akaashi recovered his composure, the tower could barely be called such. What must have been a long and fierce battle had raged from this building, almost entirely opening its walls to the fog. Through the gaps he caught sight of metal plates raised to mirror the dark skies above. There was an eye of this storm, however--a perfectly intact archway entrance, with seashell curves and winged carvings decorating its beams.

 

The bird called again. For the first time since they had entered this forgotten place, a gentle breeze caressed the tattered remnants of his crippled left wing. For a moment he thought it not unlike a warm breath.

 

Behind him, he could sense Konoha and Komi exchanging glances, each trying to nudge the other forward first. Normally, he would have scoffed at their antics. But he had seen the mirrors' reflections painting the clouds onto the figure waiting through the dimmed archway.

 

The statue emerged out of the same rock as the rest of the Lost Capital, the lone witness to its destruction. Its eyes were closed in slumber even as it still clutched a faintly familiar sword. Again a thought rose unbidden to the forefront of his mind: that peaceful sitting pose did not suit... him. Twin birds perched on the armored shoulders, and a third nested in the streaked and spiked hair. Their unreadable beady eyes seemed to focus on him. He could not tell if they were alive or carved from the same gray stone. Behind the birds, the soft arch of the magnificent wings stirred up a distant warmth, until he could not help but tear away his gaze.

 

"Your prophecy." Konoha's voice rang, far too loud and sudden, echoing slightly off the hollow tower. He himself looked surprised at the words that had surfaced from his mouth. Akaashi glanced backward, collecting his thoughts. He could see Komi gesturing to Konoha in silent argument.

They had discussed the oracle's curse before. In accordance with his preparations for all predetermined outcomes, a pre-emptive strike had always seemed natural. But now that the time had apparently come, his old cowardice kept him frozen.

Was he still the same scared fledgling as before? Had he not changed even after all these eons? At that thought, the resentment and rage reignited the embers of his original motivation.

 

He reached out. His arm did not tremble, but only just. His gauntlet wrapped around the left wing's fine feather tips. If he looked too carefully, the details of the stone markings carried too much of a resemblance to the original flexible barbs.

The birds watched him. Konoha and Komi watched him. He could not tell if any of them judged him, but he did not meet their gaze.

His hand clenched once, twice. He pulled tentatively, a claw curving down the grooves, testing the rock along the shaft of the feathers. It did not budge. Before his gaze could refocus and his nerves failed him, he infused his talon with his full demonic strength and yanked the left wing downwards.

 

 

The wing snapped with a crack like thunder. Despite Akaashi's long-honed supernatural reflexes, he could not (did not?) catch the falling rock. It smashed onto the marble floor and dissipated into motes of dust. The perched bird fluttered away, up into the tower, vanishing into the dark sky. The echoes of its wingbeats faded back into silence, as did the rumble of the broken stone.

 

Behind him, Komi raised his shield for cover. Konoha clutched his twin daggers, ready to conjure an illusion. The remaining two birds still watched him. Not a single soul dared to breathe. The statue's eyes remained closed, without a single acknowledgement of the grievous damage. What remained of the wing's stump was splintered beyond recognition.

 

Akaashi realized he still had his arm outstretched. He slowly closed it into a fist. There was no trace that the wing's intricate feathers had ever existed. Something hurt inside him, and he did not want to put a name to that feeling. After another few seconds of hesitation, he withdrew his hand. He took a step backwards.

 

He could sense Konoha and Komi exchanging a wide variety of glances over their still-raised weapons. For the first time, he could not completely predict their reactions. Would they laugh at him, mock him for his loss to a mere statue? But he could say for certain that assessment would not be doing the statue the...justice? honor? respect? it deserved.

He tore his mind away from such banal and foolishly sentimental thoughts. If it did awaken, the statue would be crippled. Even with his stripped wings, Akaashi could easily avoid a single lost angel on a planet without solar power.

But even when he turned to beckon the duo to leave, he could not help but look back with unease at the now one-winged figure frozen in its timeless prison. Why here? Why now? Was it just tormenting him with a reminder of his own weakness? Was it right to just... leave him here?

 

 

His ruminations were interrupted by Komi swearing up a storm. For the briefest of moments Akaashi feared the usual punishment for sacrilege; the angel would come to life and raise that crackling sword and... He forcefully reminded himself of the current time and place.

"It's the goddamn demon cats!"

That got Akaashi cursing too. At least his instincts to direct the team as soon as possible had been correct in this respect. Even from the tower, thanks to the lack of wind or sound, he could faintly pick out the telltale swishing of tails. So much for no living creatures in this Lost Capital.

He barked out orders for Konoha and Komi to swap positions as they scrambled for temporary shelter. In the meantime, he spread his wings and took to the air briefly. His talons successfully gripped the crumbling tower walls, enabling him to tentatively climb to a higher vantage point.

The nearest squad of accursed cats had sighted the tower and were picking their way through the rubble. This was no amateur scouting expedition, given the agility with which they leapt from cover to cover. Konoha had not fired on them, which Akaashi felt was good judgment. He doubted Konoha's comparatively unspecialized magic could land a hit in.

Now that his eyes had adjusted, Akaashi could also discern another squad with blood-red armor in the street over, readily approaching. Were they attempting a pincer atta--He cursed his luck after spotting a splash of yellow. The cats had even brought along their famed strategist. Perhaps the intel leak had been a trap all along.

There was no time left. He dove back to the ground floor of the tower and signaled Konoha and Komi to leave through the back entrance. Their smaller numbers did grant them increased maneuverability and stealth, especially with the dull gray stealth uniforms he had intuitively chosen. Konoha left as the vanguard, his weak illusion magic scanning for openings in the ruins ahead. Komi had prepared a shimmering barrier during his time in cover and brandished it behind him.

 

Allowing himself one last glance at the enstatued angel, Akaashi himself covered their retreat, curving around to crouch in the shadows of yet another archway. He alone possessed the firepower to ward the cats off for any extended period of time, a necessary drawback of bringing what was inherently an infiltration team. Still, he welcomed the opportunity to brandish a show of force and turn his mind off those unwanted thoughts.

While he shifted perspectives, taking care to quiet his wings from rustling, the first demon cat stepped onto the threshold faster than expected. Akaashi cursed again. He was running out of time to find an adequate firing position.

From his perch, Akaashi could glimpse the cat's mouth open in wonder at the majestic beauty of the Lost Capital's guardian. His mouth curved up awkwardly before he caught himself. But too quickly, the cat noticed the markings of fresh talons on the stone and yowled for back-up. Damned too perceptive bastards. The rest of the squad of cats stalked over towards the archway entrance and peered into the shadowed tower.

He was out of options. Akaashi raised his hand to fire through the cracks of his vantage point. At least this angle granted him a clear shot to hit the cats' entire first squad at the entrance.

The statue and its remaining wing loomed in his path.

In the moment's hesitation, the cat picked out his movement and raised a barrier. Akaashi switched spells on instinct. Later, he would recall shamefully that he had utterly and completely panicked.

 

Akaashi ducked the reflected arrow of light, and it hit a mirror. The light flashed again as it rebounded between the metal plates that had been seemingly randomly placed around the tower. Too late, Akaashi realized its intensity was being amplified by the angelic lightmetal. He raised his gauntlet to shield himself, knowing it would be almost certainly be in vain. The radiance would scorch him like any other resident of this netherworld now.

Instead, the last plate directed the dazzling ray towards the heavens. There was a heartbeat where the entire city held its breath.

 

 

An opening appeared in the dark and clouded skies. For the first time in memory, a blessed sunbeam shone down to illuminate the Lost Capital.

The statue opened its golden eyes.

**Author's Note:**

> This was supposed to be a humorous drabble.... whoops. If I do continue the story, it will likely shift tones more towards humor :)


End file.
